Seattle Fans... WOW

[prizby]

Rudi tried to get 114&115 on point with a capo stand there... it was the right idea... but it failed. The truth is that 111 is a much more participating supporters section. When 111 (and to some degree 110) is loud we are on top of our game...

what we really need right now is a roof so the sound stays in the stadium and more useful!

[prizby]

Capos are not there to start chants. They are there to organize. Maybe light a fire under the supporters if it gets too quiet. But they aren't there to be a conductor and/or DJ and have a playlist.

And unless you've capo'd...you don't know what it's like. It's a hard job. You're on 90 minutes a game. And during a hot game like last weekend, it's physically draining.

same with the drummer

i think we need some more drums...we need a deafening

[prizby]

Should'nt RPB(PREZ JACK) approaching the team on this....is this in the works?? Season seat renewls are around the corner......it has to be done now before its to late!

i am sure something along this lines has at least been put forth to the FO if not in dicussions..surely something you won't find admitted on a public board though

[RPB_RED_NATION_RPB]

we are to spread out....there are to many casuals in between....Surrender your tickets...and move to the north END STAND!! its our only HOPE!

NOw will someone call MLSINTORONTO and gets this done!

[Bender]

well if you want my opinion, i've never been to a game as i'm always in London or Northern Ontario, but it seems there is a problem with synchronization... if everyone would get in sync, it would be a lot louder in there.

[prizby]

^that is certainly a bit of the problem

[Rudi]

Rudi tried to get 114&115 on point with a capo stand there... it was the right idea... but it failed. The truth is that 111 is a much more participating supporters section. When 111 (and to some degree 110) is loud we are on top of our game...

The capo stand that ended up in 117 the first game was always meant to for you guys in 112. Actually that's not entirely true, when I asked for the second stand I requested it in front of 111, near enough to the original capo stand to still co-ordinate, but providing more "coverage" of the entire corner as a whole.

That plan was foiled by the presence of the sideline tables, but all along it was meant for RPB.

The first home game it was moved from 112 to 117 so CBC could put its boom camera in that corner, and two weeks later it finally found its way back to where it was originally placed before the season started.

What a fuckin disaster it was when it was in 117, one of our guys in that section jumped in to try to make it work and was met with blank stares and even some hostility.

The capo stand really is in the best place it could be. Both of them, really. You guys have rocked that stand, and the corner is far more co-ordinated than ever.

When you look in our sections and you see 50% participating and 50% standing there with their arms crossed...you realize where the scalper seats are. The percentages are even worse in 113. It's a little demoralizing looking over at 113 and seeing people blankly staring at the sky.

Oh God, it's embarrassing at times.

It's gotten worse as people who should be at the back of 113 who want to participate are jamming into the very front of the section, to the point where the first three or four rows of 113 are four people deep. It gets very cozy in those rows. LOL.

I honestly think that if 113 were not as wide as it is, we could deal with this problem better. Looking at 112, the narrowness actually helps push the non-participating people to the back, or at least far higher up than we can get them to go.

With the scalper situation being what it is, I really couldn't figure out how to fix this. This obviously affects us more than you guys, but I still see it as a joint problem as we're trying to achieve a common goal.

Both groups have tons of affiliated people scattered around the stadium - or not at the stadium at all - who would kill to fill the top of 112 and the middle of 113 with passionate support rather than day-trippers. Someting needs to be done.

[onemanbarmyarmy]

Personally, I've been a "Crammer" in 112 before and enjoyed it but never again as RPB are either unwilling or unable to police their own section therefore allowing hooliganism to be an everpresent part of the 112 experience. If there was a way for me to get the equivilent seats to what I have now in the north stands I would think about it but only if the unsavory lot that enjoy threatening, assaulting and bullying fellow "vocal" supporters were kept out. By the way they can't close the gap between 111 and 112 because structurally the two sections pitch at different angles and cannot be married up in any sensible way.

[FluSH]

I honestly think that if 113 were not as wide as it is, we could deal with this problem better. Looking at 112, the narrowness actually helps push the non-participating people to the back, or at least far higher up than we can get them to go.

I totally agree with the narrowness or funnel effect. Columbus, since moved to the Nordecke in that corner, has increased their supporters section dramatically. It's a lot harder to spread chants on a wide section... you realy need everyone in there to be fully committed to do so and then some.

[FluSH]

Personally, I've been a "Crammer" in 112 before and enjoyed it but never again as RPB are either unwilling or unable to police their own section therefore allowing hooliganism to be an everpresent part of the 112 experience. If there was a way for me to get the equivilent seats to what I have now in the north stands I would think about it but only if the unsavory lot that enjoy threatening, assaulting and bullying fellow "vocal" supporters were kept out. By the way they can't close the gap between 111 and 112 because structurally the two sections pitch at different angles and cannot be married up in any sensible way.

Well I would think that if we controlled our own section... I mean truly control it... you would not see these incidents. If you are talking about that one dude that keeps going nuts on everyone that is the only thorn in 112... Apperantly it has been dealt with... however there are three solutions:

1) He seriously stops doing what he is doing
2) We alert security to kick this guy out cause I don't remember him there in season 1 or season 2
3) An all out beatdown happens in 112. (which is the last thing we want... and provides proof that we need control of our section and not let scalper seats ruin our experience)

[London]

^^^^^^it is not exactly RPB country up in the top of 112 either, i sit in row 6 and if i see aNYTHING GO DOWN around me, YOU BETTER believe that i will deal with it in some way.

[Pookie]

Getting the whole stadium involved is going to be a challenge but I think that the "problem" can be addressed and we can improve overall participation quite effectively. It's a no-brainer to suggest we need coordination and capos. Here are some additional suggestions:

Knowing the chants
Get the big 3 Supporter's Groups together with the Bands and duplicate the RPB Songs and Chants CD. Have a revenue share agreement with the FO and when people renew their season's or partial packs, they get a CD. Of course, the cost of this CD is buried into the renewal price and distributed to all parties.

Ambitious? Yes but people talk about "atmosphere" all the time. This would be both popular and functional.

Move the Tribe
Hats off to Tribal Rythym Nation for playing all game. They support the team and do so in their own way.

At the same time, there is a reason that 117-119 is essentially a dead zone and I think it is partially influenced by TRN. If you are near the drums (or within wind distance of the drums) you have competing sounds. You likely can't follow what's going on in other parts of the stadium and eventually give up.

To me, it's like trying to remember a phone number and having someone shout out random numbers while you are rehearsing it in your head.

I'd offer 2 suggestions. If this new North Stand is NOT to be a supporters section, make sure that you make space for TRN in the north east corner... very near the visiting supporters section in 104.

Or give them a place atop the 200 section.

Go on a Membership Drive
Controversial but if you want a section to participate, it helps to have members in that section. We sit all over the stadium, maybe we need to be a little more proactive about introducing people to what we have

Supporters Need to Grab Some Stones
If it is true that we are all over the stadium, why are we all so quiet?

It's easy to join in a chant when the guy next to you is bellowing it out. Many want to sit in 112 for that reason.

How many times have you started in on something and realized you were the only one doing it? What happens next? Do you continue or do you keep it quiet?

Perhaps, if each one of us parked self consciousness at the door and recognized that Simon Cowell isn't going to critique our singing we'd continue. By continuing, you become the "guy bellowing it out" and make it easier for someone who is more self conscious to make an effort.

In the end, we have the most amount of control over the atmopshere by our individual actions.

[Jay P]

my seats are row 9 in 113 and i would say the guys in the immediate area of me in row 9-10 do follow teh chants led by the capos..... it is a dead section b/w u sector and us and even behind us though....

[Flipityflu]

You want a solution:

1. Give us first rights and control to a section to the permanent North Stand seating. RPB and friends of RPB (those who don't want to be membes but contribute almost as much if not more than some members).

2. Close the gap between 111 & 112 and give us the rights to have our RPB members and friends move in there from other parts of the stadium.

in the past i've been a little concerned about supporter groups having control of season ticket seats, but i think i've come around on this now with the opening of the North Stand. i hope those in charge really consider this.

[clc12]

same with the drummer

i think we need some more drums...we need a deafening

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcctR...e=channel_page

i totally agree with you. there is a lack of drums. the drums and good drumming can make a regular chant become an awesome chant.

when i see this video i think of section 112 and what it can become. at 2:16 the boca fans change their chant. the chant is just a basic chant but with the drum beat it makes it more powerful. even at 0:54 they stop the drum beat and raise their drums which also adds to the intensity of the chant.

i would love to see this kind of intensity at bmo. we would be untouchable in the mls.

[brad]

Supporters Need to Grab Some Stones
If it is true that we are all over the stadium, why are we all so quiet?

It's because we are scattered all over the place, and surrounded by people that don't want to make noise. We have a handful of people that try and get stuff going, but the rest of our section looks at us like we are a sideshow. These people will never join in IMHO. They won't even do the TFC-clap-clap-clap.

Plus, we've lost a large number of vocal people out of our section to the beer gardens this year due to security issues which has hurt things.

How many times have you started in on something and realized you were the only one doing it? What happens next? Do you continue or do you keep it quiet?

Keep going. It doesn't matter when the rest of the people around you don't care. This has been my experience in nearly 3 years of being one of the people trying to get things going in my section.

We still try every game, but it's a lost battle.

[PureTFC]

This Seattle envy makes me feel sick. Put more mics in front of our supporters and we'd sound just as or louder. BMO acoustics on a nice windy day are poop. If you hear us on TV we are putting 10x the effort into it.

What a fuckin disaster it was when it was in 117, one of our guys in that section jumped in to try to make it work and was met with blank stares and even some hostility.

You've already mentioned that the capo stand wasn't suppose to be there in the first place. So when no one has been informed of it's presence and there is no planning with regards to its use, does it suprise you it turned into a disaster? The stands are a great idea but with a lack of commuinication and coordination how can we expect it to work.

Roogsy I completely agree the west side of the southend knows only two chants at best. I sit in 117 and I want to punch most of them.

This maybe true in 117. I know that this isn't the case in all sections. Maybe if someone actually made all the songs available to the rest of the folks in your section they might know them.

Move the Tribe
Hats off to Tribal Rythym Nation for playing all game. They support the team and do so in their own way.

At the same time, there is a reason that 117-119 is essentially a dead zone and I think it is partially influenced by TRN. If you are near the drums (or within wind distance of the drums) you have competing sounds. You likely can't follow what's going on in other parts of the stadium and eventually give up.

I must say TRN has been 100% better this year on when and what they are playing. They have been banging a beat for a number of chants too. They also fill in the void when there are lulls in the action. I can't complain about them this season.

If peoples solutions are to call other supporters douchebags and then abandon the southend for a temp north stand you'll never get past this basic discussion. Moving to the north for more atmosphere is a bad idea and that was mentioned in a previous post.

As for people who bitch and complain that where they are isn't the same as 112 or a couple of other spots, you now have a mission to spread the TFC love. Stop waiting for others to do shit. You aren't bloody sheep.

[canadian_bhoy]

1) RPB should never leave 112
2) SG's controlling the section is a horrible idea
3) Atmosphere has been up and down this year. Conclusion? Fans can't manufacture atmosphere, the product on the field needs to be inspiring
4) While capo's have helped organize, they have also limited the spontenaity of chants...people just wait to hear what's coming next - that's a shame
5) We need songs - the chants we have are the same as every other SG in MLS...it all sounds the same and is getting boring for even a lot of the die hards let alone the rest of the fans. (TFC Bounce, Massive, Oh When the Reds, seem to be the only chants that people even get excited about anymore).
6) We are wasting opportunities on road trips to create new chants. Having a capo on the road leads to the group going with the same old repetoire. My experience with other clubs is that the travelling bus, pub and away match are where the new chants start and where the best ones come from.

7) Chill the F out. Seattle is great (obviously) so are we! Stop being so concerned about what other people are doing and be happy with the amazing things we have done here. Get the chips off your shoulders and work with all the supporters to boost the atmosphere. The more and more people talk about "our section" and "the real fans" etc, the more you will isolate the rest of the fan base (no wonder they don't want a capo in 117). Join in all together with the rest of the fans or the groups will be reduced to an isolated cheerleading sideshow.

[prizby]

Personally, I've been a "Crammer" in 112 before and enjoyed it but never again as RPB are either unwilling or unable to police their own section therefore allowing hooliganism to be an everpresent part of the 112 experience. If there was a way for me to get the equivilent seats to what I have now in the north stands I would think about it but only if the unsavory lot that enjoy threatening, assaulting and bullying fellow "vocal" supporters were kept out. By the way they can't close the gap between 111 and 112 because structurally the two sections pitch at different angles and cannot be married up in any sensible way.

how can it be our own section when we can't control who goes there

bit of a harsh word...anyone who has been there knows there a bunch of nice people

[prizby]

7) Chill the F out. Seattle is great (obviously) so are we! Stop being so concerned about what other people are doing and be happy with the amazing things we have done here. Get the chips off your shoulders and work with all the supporters to boost the atmosphere. The more and more people talk about "our section" and "the real fans" etc, the more you will isolate the rest of the fan base (no wonder they don't want a capo in 117). Join in all together with the rest of the fans or the groups will be reduced to an isolated cheerleading sideshow.

some of us like the idea of BEING THE BEST

[clc12]

1) RPB should never leave 112
2) SG's controlling the section is a horrible idea
3) Atmosphere has been up and down this year. Conclusion? Fans can't manufacture atmosphere, the product on the field needs to be inspiring
4) While capo's have helped organize, they have also limited the spontenaity of chants...people just wait to hear what's coming next - that's a shame
5) We need songs - the chants we have are the same as every other SG in MLS...it all sounds the same and is getting boring for even a lot of the die hards let alone the rest of the fans. (TFC Bounce, Massive, Oh When the Reds, seem to be the only chants that people even get excited about anymore).
6) We are wasting opportunities on road trips to create new chants. Having a capo on the road leads to the group going with the same old repetoire. My experience with other clubs is that the travelling bus, pub and away match are where the new chants start and where the best ones come from.

7) Chill the F out. Seattle is great (obviously) so are we! Stop being so concerned about what other people are doing and be happy with the amazing things we have done here. Get the chips off your shoulders and work with all the supporters to boost the atmosphere. The more and more people talk about "our section" and "the real fans" etc, the more you will isolate the rest of the fan base (no wonder they don't want a capo in 117). Join in all together with the rest of the fans or the groups will be reduced to an isolated cheerleading sideshow.

i totally agree with #5. we have to become original. there is nothing wrong with having a chant with the same beat/rhythm as other SG's. there is a problem when we have the same words and simply add Toronto. i mentioned that in a post in the songs and chants sections. just changing a couple of words in a song is like doing karoake. we gotta be original.

[flatpicker]

fact... having so many TFC supporter group folk spread around the stadium makes it difficult to achieve our potential.

Columbus are actually starting to look impressive (but they had plenty of empty seats to coordinate getting all supporters together)

Seattle is terrific (great planning - and a big stadium - enabled the supporters to band together)
Not to mention their stadium is way better suited for acoustics.
BMO... eats acoustics for dinner.

TFC supporters need to get together.
I don't care what the method is.
It could be the eventual North End.
It could be filling in the gap between 111-112.
Or TFC FO could actually use a seat exchange programme that works.

Whatever the solution... fact is, something needs to be done.

That said, I am very happy to have competition from around the league.

MLS needs this kind of energy in the stands.
The product on the field is always going to be inferior to what is seen on tv from around the world.
So it's important to have an exciting atmosphere at games which enhances the live experience for fans.

[brad]

some of us like the idea of BEING THE BEST

And that comes from focusing on becoming better ourselves, and not worrying about what others are doing.

[flatpicker]

5) We need songs - the chants we have are the same as every other SG in MLS...it all sounds the same and is getting boring for even a lot of the die hards let alone the rest of the fans. (TFC Bounce, Massive, Oh When the Reds, seem to be the only chants that people even get excited about anymore).

this part I certainly agree with.

myself, and others here, have made several suggestions for songs.

we need to step it up a bit if we really want to obtain something special on gameday.

[Suds]

TFC supporters need to get together.
I don't care what the method is.
It could be the eventual North End.
It could be filling in the gap between 111-112.
Or TFC FO could actually use a seat exchange programme that works.

Seeing that this year is my first as a SSH I have not taken part in the seat exchange yet. I have seen a number of issues posted on this board speaking to how little movement or ability to move there is.

Does anyone have ideas that would make this better?

[s2cazz]

1) RPB should never leave 112

2) SG's controlling the section is a horrible idea

I have to absolutely disagree on this one... you probably have season seats in 122... but what about those of us wh don't? I make it to 5 maybe 6 games a year and would love to sit in 112 but can't unless i pay an outrageous price from a scalper and then everyone looks at you like a douche bag day tripper when you get there... If RPB had control over their own section it would eliminate all of this... no one ever thinks of the guys like me and I'm sure that I'm not the only one... and anyone who knows me knows i give it my all and sing and chant and bounce no matter where I sit

3) Atmosphere has been up and down this year. Conclusion? Fans can't manufacture atmosphere, the product on the field needs to be inspiring

That we can agree on there needs to be something to get the casual cheering... the hardcores will always cheer but something has to happen either goood or bad for the casual to get involved ( ex. stadium wide chant of Fxck the refferee @ the whitecraps game last year)

4) While capo's have helped organize, they have also limited the spontenaity of chants...people just wait to hear what's coming next - that's a shame

I can't agree with that one... each chant has its own purpose and time in the game all thats needed is a good capo that knows this (not to say that the capos currently aren't doing a good job) but the move to the north end would help because the capo would be able to see the game on the jumbootron and know whats going on and would no when to start the chants.

5) We need songs - the chants we have are the same as every other SG in MLS...it all sounds the same and is getting boring for even a lot of the die hards let alone the rest of the fans. (TFC Bounce, Massive, Oh When the Reds, seem to be the only chants that people even get excited about anymore).

I agree totaly with this one... I watch other games and hear the same chants... we need more original stuff and as has been said before theres too much of this La La La bullshit going on and not enough actual songs... but that is a dead horse that keeps getting beaten and beaten

6) We are wasting opportunities on road trips to create new chants. Having a capo on the road leads to the group going with the same old repetoire. My experience with other clubs is that the travelling bus, pub and away match are where the new chants start and where the best ones come from.

I can't comment hear I haven't been on an "official" roadtrip yet....

7) Chill the F out. Seattle is great (obviously) so are we! Stop being so concerned about what other people are doing and be happy with the amazing things we have done here. Get the chips off your shoulders and work with all the supporters to boost the atmosphere. The more and more people talk about "our section" and "the real fans" etc, the more you will isolate the rest of the fan base (no wonder they don't want a capo in 117). Join in all together with the rest of the fans or the groups will be reduced to an isolated cheerleading sideshow.

Agreed fuck seattle and the rest of MLS we have our own to worry about...


just my $0.02 but i think that a move to the north end would be a much better option... and it should be supporter controlled. However (and I know the flaming will come because of this one so bring it) its need to be done by us as a group and not with the involvement of the the other SG's because we are all never on point together and unified... how many times have we been screwed over or had things changed last minute because judas sector doesn't like what we have put time and effort into planning.... take care of ourselves and fuck our neighbours... they'll be happier in tthe south end sitting anyways...

[keem-o-sabi]

This is probably 10% of the problem...

I actually think it is part of the problem. Last home match the section was empty until before kick off. I think if the mood is set before the match it would be better. NEE were all in their corner already, but our side was not there (and it wasn't that loud, maybe it was the heat, but it wasn't the best display).

[flatpicker]

Seeing that this year is my first as a SSH I have not taken part in the seat exchange yet. I have seen a number of issues posted on this board speaking to how little movement or ability to move there is.

Does anyone have ideas that would make this better?

yes...

pay some tech college grad to put together a simple programme where STH's can fill in an online form that asks:

- where do you currently sit?
- where would you prefer to sit?

Then, the programme (using other variables of course, like date of purchase) will match up people with other STH's who's requests match up.
It would also consider seats that are currently vacant and used as single ticket sales.

I would think that STH's would be shown their options before agreeing to the switch.

Anyway... instead of having to go down to BMO and have no idea what a thousand other people might be thinking over the next couple of days, the programme would simply match up requests for every single person interested in moving (not just the people who happen to go down to BMO the same day as you).

Obviously, there would be some people who's requests can not be accommodated if their preferred location is not available.

Make sense?

[s2cazz]

its a catch 22 without control of our own seats... the better the atmosphere we make the more people will try to get tickets there to sell and make money off of them.... which in turn will make all our efforts in vein... the only way to stop this is controlling our own seats

[Suds]

yes...

pay some tech college grad to put together a simple programme where STH's can fill in an online form that asks:

- where do you currently sit?
- where would you prefer to sit?

Then, the programme (using other variables of course, like date of purchase) will match up people with other STH's who's requests match up.
It would also consider seats that are currently vacant and used as single ticket sales.

I would think that STH's would be shown their options before agreeing to the switch.

Anyway... instead of having to go down to BMO and have no idea what a thousand other people might be thinking over the next couple of days, the programme would simply match up requests for every single person interested in moving (not just the people who happen to go down to BMO the same day as you).

Obviously, there would be some people who's requests can not be accommodated if their preferred location is not available.

Make sense?

That would make much more sense. Not sure what kind of database MLSE has, but a program like that can be written in no time at all.